Model trains as therapy for autism.

I have twin with autism. They both love the trains, each in their own way. My daughter, who is the most severely affected, loves the flashing lights and sounds. My son loves to talk thru stories of the people and animals that ride the rails, much as I did as a youngster. They may never be cured but with each year, we hope they will live in a world that does more than merely tolerate them. That is why the hobby shops that were kind to them always got my return business.

As has been posted to this forum repeatedly in the past, the rock musician Neil Young developed a system to control 3 rail trains for his autistic child. the system went on to be commercially released by Lionel. The system is known as TMCC.

We have a family with an autistic son come to our club, he loves the trains. I gave them an O gauge set make up with a Beep and some old hoppers. The club is also building him an HO layout. The parents must have a very difficult time, it reminds me how lucky most of us are.

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Allen:
We have a family with an autistic son come to our club, he loves the trains. I gave them an O gauge set make up with a Beep and some old hoppers. The club is also building him an HO layout. The parents must have a very difficult time, it reminds me how lucky most of us are.

How right you are. My cousin had Cerebral palsy and he struggles to this day.

I volunteer with my Ham radio equipment for the Special Olympics not because I have a handicapped child but because I don't .How we take the simple things for granted.

David

I had an autistic boy in my reading class at school who could not relate to me what-so-ever until one day when he saw an RC helicopter book on my desk. He asked to take it home and asked me several questions everyday there-after related to my interest in flying helicopters. I have since moved on to my first love of trains but I suspect that I might get a similar response.

We set up every year for the Festival of Trees here in Detroit in support of Childrens Hospital. Every year we hear from a number of parents and care givers how impressed they are with an autistic Childs response to the trains when they come by the layout. The children will stand there for hours just watching. I feel for the parent/care giver when they try to move the child along. Several of the parents wanted all kinds of information about the trains and where they can get them.

A friend had an nephew with Autism, she asked me for some train photos to give him for Christmas, apparently he loved them and forgot about everything going on around him when he saw the photos

My daughter is a special education teacher. She has seen many kids with learning disabilitys use trains for a form of therapy. Autistic kids seem to benefit the most. I even suggested she use the topic for a paper!!

I have a 10 year okd Autistic child and an 8 year old that is not. It is amazing about the correltaion between trains and Autism. My 10 year old has loved trains since he was 2. Our family spends quality time doing "train stuff"...seeing and riding real trains, visiting layouts, and going to our local hobby shop. POTRZBE mentioned hobby shops that tolerate these kids. My family is blessed to have Catoctin Mountain Trains in Thurmont Maryland. "Mr. Paul" is to owner. He and his wife Marcia are fantastic! We have been going there since my son was 2. "Mr. Paul"always let him run the tranis on the shop layout, and is interested to hear what my son has been doing, not only about trains but school too.I too hope that the world will more than tolerate these kids. 1 in 50...that's our future. If anyone is interested, there is a movie about an elderly gentleman by the last name of Kohn. He was autistic before they knew what it was. It's about his life in sports. He was an equipment manager for a Lacrosse team. He also loved trains. It's called " The keeper of the Kohn"

I'll add to the list.

Last year a mildly autistic child (if such a thing is possible) visited my Christmas layout with his father. I run DCS.

Everyone that comes, I try to have them run the layout by teaching them the basics so they can use the remote. Usually they don't want to even try accessory and switch options.

But this austistic boy, about 9 or 10, picked it all up FASTER than anyone that I've tried to show it to!!! Engine selection, Switch controls, Accessory controls, you name it! He ran the layout for a solid two hours and probably could have kept on going if his father didn't have to leave.

I was totally blown away and will never forget the lesson that I learned. I was very leery when the father asked. What a mis-guided feelign on my part!

- walt

My 7 Y.O. son has Autism. He LOVES trains!!! Right now we have a Thomas wooden RR set that has literally had the track run smooth!!! His twin sister (autism free) likes trains too!! I only wished they could have met thier great grandpa who worked for the Milwaukee Road.

This "condition" (autism) is an expensive one to treat and I had to sell off most of my o-gauge collection to pay for his treatment (insurance does not cover this).

I've seen how other kids with Autism react to trains and plans are to build a true layout in my in-progress train room, but the economy recently has truly put a damper on this. This is something I plan to share with other kids that have his condition.

Every year a train show is held near us in Madison,WI. and attendance is MANDATORY!!(he says) He gets to see great rains, I get to buy some neat O-gauge stuff and RR books. I hope he picks up on the TMCC/Proto 5.0 controls so he can teach me about them.......